CLST 307
Reading Images
writing assignment

Here's your revised first assignment for Reading Images. I have made this first assignment as simple as possible so that I can get some work from you to evaluate and you can get a grade from me before we make a delayed jump into more elaborate installations.

The step you should follow are:

1. Pick ten images related to some topic/theme/type of image that interests you.

2. Either paste those images on a wiki page or put them on a Flickr slide show. You should give a brief description of each image and its source which includes, where possible, the following:

  • what kind of image it is (screen shot of video, photo, ad, movie still, etc)
  • who made it (either a person's name/screen name or distribution entity)
  • when and where it was made
  • where it currently "resides" - e.g. URL or other source anchor

3. Write a brief essay (3-4 pp) in which you do the following:

  • Give an overview of the ten images in terms of what Kress calls the "semiotic landscape." In other words, describe the social/political context of the particular medium used by your images - news photos, magazine cover, celebrity web site, video game stills, etc.

  • Analyze two or three of the images with respect to the grammatical features from Kress that you think are most salient with regard to how the audience for the image would "read" it.

  • Discuss the relationship between your description of the semiotic landscape and your analysis - how do the images reinforce and/or undercut the social / political context of the particular medium. Use MLA style to document your references to Kress.

You need to post a copy of your paper on the wiki by 11 pm, Sunday, Feb. 28.


Revised Schedule & Requirements

Reading images paper - 15%
Art installation proposal -March, 23 - (10%)
Art installation - April 13 ( 25%)
Meta-installation proposal - May 4 (10%)
Meta-intallation - (May 17) - 25%
7 Art World blogs 15%